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FROM THE DEAN
Dear Ostrow Students and Colleagues:
Ostrow’s annual Research Day is always a highlight of the academic year for me. As an educator, I can tell you nothing compares to seeing the intellectual spark, scientific curiosity and raw enthusiasm on our students’ faces whether virtually or in-person. Better still is being able to read even more about these discoveries in our award-winning The Explorer — put together by our Student Research Group. It gives me such pride to see our students committing themselves to the scientific foundations undergirding our profession.
Research is rocket fuel, launching our professions into ever-exciting and sometimes unexpected directions. To be successful in your careers — whether that be in the dental, biokinesiology/physical therapy or occupational science/occupational therapy professions — you will need an almost insatiable thirst for new knowledge. You must constantly consume new research, learn new technologies and be willing to evolve the way you practice. It is our hope that during your time with us we impart within you this lifelong love of learning.
As part of a research-intensive university, we have always taken scientific investigation incredibly seriously. As you might know, Ostrow is No. 4 on the list of top-funded U.S. dental institutions by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. This is the highest we’ve ever appeared on this list in history, and I couldn’t be prouder. This accomplishment demonstrates the significant amount of trust that the NIDCR has in our school, for that I am forever grateful for our research faculty and staff and the work they do, day in and day out. And I would be remiss to not mention that our USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy retain their rankings as two of the best programs in the nation as determined by the U.S. News & World Report, with a No. 1 and No. 4 ranking respectively — a testament to their ongoing research and clinical prowess in their disciplines.
I want to congratulate all of our faculty and student researchers for the hard work, long hours and dedication it took to complete these research endeavors this year. I hope that you will take the time to really peruse this issue of The Explorer — not only to see what your colleagues are studying in your own field but also what your colleagues in all of our divisions are doing to continue strengthening the science undergirding their professions.
